What is the ruling on women wearing the burqa?

Question:
Your Eminence, there has been a lot of talk about the burqa lately, as it has taken on a form known as fashion. What is your opinion regarding the burqa in itself? And what is your guidance for women if they wish to wear this type of clothing?

Answer:
Wearing the burqa was a custom of the Arabs; they wore burqas, and it is called the niqab. An opening is made in it for the eye, or for both eyes, and she covers her face with it. For this reason, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade a woman from wearing it while in the state of ihram. He said: In the state of ihram for 'Umrah, or for Hajj, this means that in other circumstances, there is nothing wrong with wearing the burqa and gloves at other times; for the sake of covering and hijab.
So there is no blame on a woman wearing gloves and the niqab, other than in the state of ihram, to cover herself from men. And if she covers her face with something other than the niqab; with the khimar entirely, or with other clothing: such as the jilbab, the jilbab, and the like, all of it is good. The niqab should be the size of the two eyes, or one eye, such that the cheeks and the forehead are not exposed, only the size of the two eyes. This is what is permissible.
As for forbidding it and declaring it haram, there is no evidence for that. Rather, the Sunnah clearly indicates its permissibility for one who is not in the state of ihram, but it should be the size of the two eyes, or one of them. And if she wears a khimar or a jilbab that covers her, there is nothing wrong with it. Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) said: "We were with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in the Farewell Pilgrimage in the state of ihram. When men approached us, one of us would lower her jilbab—or she said: her khimar—over her face from her head. And when they moved away, we uncovered it." The meaning of this is that they did not wear the niqab. Yes, this indicates that this is permissible, and this is permissible. Yes.
So if she lowers the khimar or the jilbab over her face entirely, in a way that she can see the road with it; there is nothing wrong. And if she feels that showing her eyes leads to fitnah, and she fears fitnah; let her cover her face with something else, from the khimar, the shaylah known as such, or with something else, if she feels that showing her eyes may lead to fitnah. She knows herself best.